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The Maine State Biathlon Championships is a great opportunity for those individuals new to biathlon, a sport that combines marksmanship and cross-country ski skills, to experience the amazing rush and excitement of the sport.  We encourage all age levels and abilities to come and join us on the 25th of March for skiing, shooting, fun, and home made food.  We will have an experienced biathlete sprint mass start in the morning, a shooting clinic with MWSC and 10th Mountain Ski Club biathlon coaches at 12:30 PM, and then wave starts divided by age categories beginning at 1:45 PM. If you want, you can make it an entire weekend by participating in the Arooski Ski Tour on Saturday and the Maine State Biathlon Championships on Sunday.  For more information on directions, lodging, event details, and registration, please see the following attachments.

Racers lined up for the start of the duathlon at Snowy Mountain Trails in Stockholm.

LIMESTONE AND STOCKHOLM – The cross-country skiers of Northern Maine were treated to a full weekend of racing fun with the C-Me Ski in Limestone on Saturday and the Karen Sprague Memorial in Stockholm on Sunday. Saturday’s classic race in Limestone was held at the Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge, while the Karen Sprague Memorial was held at the Snowy Mountain Trails behind Stockholm School. With skiers from the University of Maine Farmington, University of Maine Orono, and University of Maine Presque Isle in attendance, both races had great turnouts.  

The C-Me Ski took place on a 7 km course and participants had the option of doing one lap or three. With his win in the men’s 21 km, Joey Bard of UMPI earned 3 points for his home club Northern Skiers in Caribou. Seth Hubbard (10^th Mountain) was second, and Finn Bondeson (also Northern Skiers) was third. Nordic Heritage Sport Club skier Lauren Jacobs won the women’s 21 km race. Katrina Howe and Patricia Hebert, both of 10^th Mountain, were second and third, respectively.

The annual Valentine’s-themed Karen Sprague Memorial featured two different racing options, a sweetheart relay and a duathlon. Costumes were prevalent and smiles were plenty in the sweetheart relays, where participants were encouraged to tag their partner with a kiss. Racers were divided into age groups and each member of the two-person relay team skied two laps. Tom and Jim O’Meara won the kids race, while the team of Gentle Prescott and Kamran Hussain won the youth event. Danni Anderson and Erik Rupert took the win in the junior race. Justine Cyr and Fred Bailey won the adult race.

After the conclusion of the relays, 54 racers braved the cold again to compete in the 5 km duathlon. Racers skied one lap with classic equipment then came back to the stadium to switch into skate gear before skiing another lap. Duathlons provide another aspect of excitement for competitors and spectators because the clock is running the entire time. Joey Bard (Northern Skiers) took his second win of the weekend by edging out fellow UMPI skier Justin Fereshetian (Nordic Heritage). Austin Ross, also skiing for Nordic Heritage, was third in the men’s race. Lauren Jacobs was the women’s winner again, followed by Justine Cyr (10^th Mountain) and Sarah Dominick (Snowy Mountain).

Nordic Heritage Sport Club of Presque Isle has taken the lead in the Aroostook Cup club standings. They currently hold a 13 point  lead over 10^th Mountain Ski Club of Fort Kent. Northern Skiers of Caribou is in third. Results, updated points lists, and more can be found at www.goaroostookoutdoors.com. The next Aroostook Cup races will be the February Frolic double-header in Caribou on Sunday February 26^th.  

Costumes were popular in the sweetheart relays!

Yesterday was a sweet Valentine's Day treat for Maine Winter Sports Center athletes Raleigh Goessling and Melissa Manning from Fort Kent, Maine.  They boarded an airplane and will be competing next week in the IBU Youth and Junior World Championships in Kontiolahti, Finland. Shortly after Christmas day, these two athletes qualified for the team at trial races in Anchorage, Alaska.  Their biathlon coaches Seth Hubbard and Sarah Kamilewicz coached them throughout the winter at various North American Cup races to prepare them for this event.  Raleigh and Melissa will represent both Maine Winter Sports Center and the United States in four biathlon races at this championship.

Photo courtesy Tom Shay / Aroostook F Stops.

PRESQUE ISLE – The 5th annual Aroostook Women’s Ski Day took place on Sunday under bluebird skies at the Nordic Heritage Center. Over 75 participants from all over Northern Maine took part in a full day of activities including cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, Zumba, yoga, and nutrition talks. Twenty-five volunteers assisted with everything from leading clinics to serving lunch. 

The day kicked off with a huge group welcome and Zumba warm-up. Morning ski clinics were broken down into groups according to abilities, ensuring that every participant had appropriate and personalized instruction. Equipment for the day’s activities was provided courtesy of Healthy Hometowns and University of Maine Presque Isle. Following a healthy lunch, participants again headed outside to ski or snowshoe in the afternoon. Or they chose to stay inside for a relaxing yoga class or informative nutrition talk. Five local massage therapists donated their time in the afternoon so that fifty lucky participants from a random draw won a free massage.

The Aroostook Women’s Ski Day serves as a fundraiser for the Hope and Justice Project, an organization dedicated to the prevention of domestic violence through education, and to providing support for those affected by domestic violence. The event also raises money for the Nordic Heritage Sport Club, the non-profit organization that maintains free public recreation facilities at the Nordic Heritage Center, supports community sports programs, and hosts international ski and biathlon events. In the five years since it’s inception, the Aroostook Women’s Ski Day is proud to have raised thousands of dollars for these two important organizations. More information about the Hope and Justice Project can be found at www.hopeandjusticeproject.org. Information about the Nordic Heritage Sports Club can be found at www.nordicheritagecenter.org.

The Aroostook Women’s Ski Day is always on Super Bowl Sunday, so be sure to mark your calendars for next year’s event!

Photo courtesy Tom Shay / Aroostook F Stops.

Photo courtesy Tom Shay / Aroostook F Stops.

  Oslo, Norway Tim Burke has been struggling with his standing shooting this season, but not today. He had his first 4-stage clean race of his career to move from 15th place into 6th in today's Pursuit race. Teammate, Lowell Bailey, who finished 8th in the Sprint on Thursday, was in third place in todays's Pursuit after two shooting stages, but had three misses in his standing shooting to drop to 12th. Jay Hakinnen finished 25th today. 

 Pineland Farms, Maine The Super Bowl raffle to support the US Biathlon team closed at 1PM this afternoon. Thank you to all of the people who bought tickets. We raised $64,000, sold 54,000 tickets and have given a big boost to the US Team. The winner was from Canton, Massachussetts, and bought 50 tickets this morning...

The fourth North American Cup that was scheduled for LaPatrie was quickly moved to Valcartier after Tuesday’s rain deteriorated the course. Athletes and coaches quickly changed reservations and arranged for the change in race venue.  The Maine Winter Sports Center Athletes arrived to Valcartier on Friday afternoon to preview the course at the Myrian Bedard Biathlon Center in the powdery snow.

 Brezno-Oserblie, Slovakia Follow Russell Currier and his teammates, Leif Nordgren, Mark Johnson, Hannah Deissigaker and Laura Spector at European Biathlon Championships. Click here for results: services.biathlonresults.com/Schedule.aspx

FORT KENT – The 10^th Mountain Center played host on Sunday to the second Aroostook Cup of the season during the annual Frostbite 40 km, 20 km, and Citizen’s 5 km. Though temperatures were comfortably in the mid-twenties, the wind was another story. In fact, the race start was delayed by 30 minutes while organizers cleared a number of downed trees from the trails.  The high winds forced a change in course to avoid open fields where drifting was significant, a change that racers greatly appreciated as the blowing snow made for slower skate skiing conditions. Many thanks to Paul Cyr for getting those trees out of the way!

Fred Bailey, skiing for Nordic Heritage Sports Club (NHSC), took home a solid win in the men’s 40 km with a time of 2:02.23, more than two minutes ahead of Austin Ross, also from NHSC. Will Sweetser of Snowy Mountain finished third. In the women’s 40 km Lauren Jacobs (NHSC) won with a time of 2:24.11. Sherry Dubis skiing for the host club finished second, while Susan Plissey of Snowy Mountain was third.

With 26 participants, the 20 km race was the largest of the day. Mike Lessard, skiing for Northern Skiers, finished the course in 1:01.08.  Welly Ramsey and Derek Rowe also earned valuable club points for Northern Skiers and finished second and third, respectively. UMPI student-athlete Justine Cyr, earning points for her home club 10^th Mountain, took home the women’s win with a time of 1:12.09. Sarah Dominick of Snowy Mountain was second and Hilary McNamee of NHSC was third.

Carl Soderberg (Northern Skiers) won the overall 5 km, and his daughter Anna came in third overall and first for women. George Ferland of Snowy Mountain was second and Justin Perry (NHSC) was third for men. Desiree Smith and LeAnn Abbott, both skiing for Nordic Heritage, were second and third in the women’s race.

Skiers around the County are looking forward to the next Aroostook Cup races. The C-ME Ski in Limestone will be on Saturday February 11, followed by the Karen Sprague Memorial in Stockholm on Sunday February 12. More information, results, updated club standings, and more can be found at www.goaroostookoutdoors.com.

Sarah Doak from Caribou HIgh School skiing to finish 2nd in the J2 girls field

Rumford, ME-  Warm temperatures made for a great race day on Saturday at Black Mountain of Maine in Rumford for the annual Sassi Memorial Invitational.  This race is aJunior ll Team Qualifier (ages 14 and 15) for the J2 New England Festival held in March and is a chance for high school skiers from across the state to compete against each other in preparation for the State Nordic meet.  Fifteen athletes from Aroostook County representing Caribou High School, Presque Isle High School and the Maine Winter Sports Center competed in the 5 Km classic race.

Sarah Doak took 2^nd place in the J2 girl’s field qualifying for the Maine J2 Team.  For the High School Girls, Caribou’s Ashley Richards placed 8^th overall, and her teammates, Chelsea Bard and Katie Plourde placed 18^th and 19^th giving the Caribou High School girls enough points to take first in the Team Results.  Presque Isle’s Bonnie Corey had a personal best placing 69^th, and teammate Danielle Allen was 157^th out of 223 girls.  Maine Winter Sports Center Athletes Zoe Chace-Donahue placed 4^th and Emelie Chace-Donahue took 29^th overall.

Qualifying for the J2 Maine Team in the boys field were Ryan Washington from Caribou in 3^rd and teammate Brendan Cyr in 11^th while Maine Winter Sports Center’s Kamran Husain took 8^th place, Rylee Knox in 10^th, and Lance McKenney was 13^th.  For Presque Isle, Noah Rossignol placed 47^th out of 107 J2 boys.

Caribou’s Caleb Chapman placed 3rd overall in the Men’s field with teammates Jesse Sandstrom in 30^th and Josh Kovach in 37^th.  Congratulations to all the skiers from Aroostook County for such a strong showing at this statewide premier event.

Full Results can be found on mainehighschoolskiing.com

Kamran Hussain skis to finish 8th for J2 boys

Ryan Washington charges up the hill during the classic race

Katie Plourde from Caribou High School at the Sassi Memorial Race

Raleigh Goessling cleans his last stage for the win of the Junior Men 12.5KM Mass start.

Fort Kent, ME-  North American Cup number four kicked off in cold January temperatures in Ft. Kent, Maine this past weekend. Each day MWSC athletes had to wait  in the logde for the temprature one hour delay. The cold temperatures allowed for excellent grooming on the trails on the home course. There were a total of 14 biathletes representing the Maine Winter Sports Center in the Masters Men, Senior Men and Women, Junior Men and Women, Youth Men, and Junior Boys and Girls at 10th Mountain.

Fort Kent, ME- North American Cup number four kicked off in cold January temperatures in Ft. Kent, Maine this past weekend. Each day MWSC athletes had to wait  in the logde for the temprature one hour delay. The cold temperatures allowed for excellent grooming on the trails on the home course. There were a total of 14 biathletes representing the Maine Winter Sports Center in the Masters Men, Senior Men and Women, Junior Men and Women, Youth Men, and Junior Boys and Girls at 10th Mountain.

The sprint race took off in the bright sun of Aroostook County on Sunday. After the two stage race, there were a total of ten podium finishes in respective age categories.

SPRINT RACE SATURDAY

Mike Lessard- Senior Men 10KM Sprint 4th

Ben Greenwald- Jr Men 10KM Sprint 3rd

Will Sweester- Senior Master Men 7.5KM 1st

Kamran Hussain-Senior Boys 6KM 2nd

Cody Johnson-Senior Boys 6KM  3rd

Jason Bartley-Junior Boys 6KM 1st

Lance McKenney-Junior Boys 6KM 2nd

Caleb Willett-Junior Boys 6KM 3rd

BethAnn Chamberlain Senior Women 7.5K 2nd

Melissa Manning Junior Women 7.5K 7th

The mass start competition took off from the stadium in colder temperatures Sunday morning. The biathletes left start the double pole lanes in a hurry to the 10th Mountain trails. This secured the Maine Winter Sports Center seven more podium finishes. It was a sucessful weekend for the athletes and the 10th Mountain Ski Club. The biathlon team which will consist of the Senior Women, the Junior Team and Development Team will train at home this week in preparation to travel Canada next weekend. We wish them luck at NorAm #4.

MASS START SUNDAY 

Raleigh Goessling –Junior Men  12.5 KM 1st

Erik Rupert –Junior Men  12.5 KM 4th

Ben Greenwald- Junior Men 12.5KM 5th

Cody Johnson Senior Boys 7.5KM 2nd

Kamran Hussain Senior Boys 7.5KM 3rd

BethAnn Chamberlain Senior Women 12.5KM  2nd

Katrina Howe Senior Women 12.5KM 3rd

Melissa Manning Junior Women 10KM 5th

Cody Johnson Senior Boys 7.5KM 2nd

Kamran Hussain Senior Boys 7.5KM 3rd

 Rumford, ME—The Junior classic race at the  U.S. Cross-Country Skiing Championships helped to determine the U.S. teams to the World Junior Championships and the J1 Scandinavian Trip.  But, those were not the only titles determined on the tracks at Black Mountain that day: Maine’s Tenth Mountain Division Junior Cross-Country Championship went to Rachel Hall and Tom Rabon for the second consecutive year.

Brendan Cyr strides in sprint race.

Titcomb Mountain, Farmington, Maine

Four tickets to the Super Bowl, NFL Experience theme park, Pepsi Smash Concert plus hotel rooms, transportation allowance, and funding to cover taxes

Pineland Farms, Maine The United States Biathlon Foundation has partnered with Celebrities for Charity to offer a once-in-a-lifetime Super Bowl experience. Raffle tickets went on sale this morning and are being offered at $2 per ticket, with a minimum of 5 tickets.  All proceeds go to support the US Biathlon Team in their quest to win America’s first Olympic Biathlon medal. The winning ticket holder will get the following:

• Four tickets to the 2012 Super Bowl at Lucas Oil Field in Indianapolis on February 5th

• Four tickets to the NFL Experience, pro football’s interactive theme park with free autograph sessions, entertainments attractions and a football memorabilia show.

• Four tickets to VH1’s Pepsi Smash Concert (this year’s artists have not been announced yet, but past performers have included Rihanna, Fergie, Kanye West and Ludacris). 

• Two double occupancy hotel rooms for February 4th through the 6th

• $2,000 in travel allowance 

• Cash set aside to cover all taxes associated with the prize.

“The US Biathlon Team is extremely excited to partner with Celebrities for Charity and be a part of this Super Bowl raffle,” said Max Cobb, President of the US Biathlon Team. “We are giving everyone the chance to not only be there, but also enjoy some of the really special and exclusive experiences associated with the game.” 

The US Biathlon Team is led by Lake Placid, New York’s Lowell Bailey and has made great progress this year. Highlighted by Bailey’s four top-15 finishes in the first three weeks of the season, and with Jay Hakinnen, Tim Burke and Russell Currier, all posting top-10 results already this season, the US is showing a lot of depth. This depth will be important if they are to win their first-ever Olympic medal in Sochi in 2014. The Women’s team is has been led by Barton, Vermont’s Susan Dunklee, with a top-30 performance in her first World Cup.

“We have an exceptionally talented group of athletes and I am proud of the way they represent our sport and America,” said Bill Ryan, Chairman of the US Biathlon Foundation. “Efforts like this raffle are important to making sure they have the resources they need to bring home America’s first Olympic medal.”

To take your shot at a Super Bowl experience of a lifetime and support the US Biathlon Team visit: http://www.celebritiesforcharity.org/raffle/once-in-a-lifetime-super-bowl-game-raffle. The United States Biathlon Foundation is a non-profit foundation, with a mission to raise funds to support the United States Biathlon Team. Contributions to the foundation are tax-deductable and go directly toward supporting our athletes.

Anna Soderberg takes 1st place

Rumford, ME- Cold temperatures and windy conditions did not stop members of the Maine Winter Sports Center Development Team from outstanding performances at the Jr Sassi Race on Saturday at Black Mountain of Maine.  The yearly middle school race consisted of a 2 lap loop and was well attended by skiers from all over the state.

Anna Soderberg took first place, flying around the 3 kilometer classic course with a time of 14:17, and Anya O'Meara placed 39th for the girls.  In the boys field, Gannon Therrien proved to be a strong classic skier placing 4th with a time of 13:14.  Congratulations to these athletes, and we look forward to more great results from the Devo team in the future!

To view the full results visit the Chisholm Ski Club page click on race results (http://chisholmskiclub.org).

Anna Soderberg double poles to the finish line.

Anya O'Meara all smiles at the end of her race.

Gannon Therrien looking strong on the steepest part of the course.

MADAWASKA – Sunday marked the kick-off to the 2012 Aroostook Cup Ski Carnival series with the Deprey Classic at Four Seasons Lodge in Madawaska. Despite single-digit temperatures, almost 30 skiers braved the frigid air to complete the 6 km freestyle course. The groomers laid out a great course and kindly kept the race out of the fields and away from the biting wind. The Four Season’s terrain park was the site of the kid’s race, where a dozen youth skiers braved the cold to make their way through course. 

Lauren Jacobs, skiing for Nordic Heritage Sport Club, won the overall with a time of 19:32. Marco Boucher, racing for the host club, came in second overall and first for men at 20:06. Sherry Dubis and Patricia Hebert, both skiing for 10^th Mountain, came in 2^nd and 3^rd for women, respectively. Mike Smith of Nordic Heritage was 2^nd in the men’s field, while Tom Campbell of Snowy Mountain rounded out the top three.  

Four Seasons has taken the early lead in the club standings with 13 points. Sitting in second place is 10^th Mountain with 10 points, but Snowy Mountain is right behind with 9. Photos of the day can be found at the Four Seasons Trail Association website. (http://www.fourseasonstrail.org)

The Aroostook Cup series continues in two weeks with the Frostbite 40 km at the 10th Mountain Center in Fort Kent on Sunday January 29. This event will also feature 5 km and 20 km options. More information on the Frostbite 40 km, the rest of the Aroostook Cup series, and current point standings can be found online at www.goaroostookoutdoors.com/events. 

Russell after 6th place finish

Nove Mesto, Czech Republic--At the IBU World Cup today, Russell Currier showed what Maine has known for years: he is a world class talent.  After several seasons of struggling on the shooting range, Currier put the worries to rest over the past two months to earn his way back onto the World Cup.  Today, he was one of two competitors who hit a perfect 10 for 10 in shooting.  That's all Currier needed to vault into the top tier and finish 6th in the 10km Sprint competition, his first top-10 finish in his World Cup career.  

 

Starting from bib 103, Currier shocked several early starters when he crossed the line just 23.2 seconds back of today's winner, Emil Hegle Svendson of Norway.  Currier lead the USA men in what was one of the best days in recent memory, with all four American starters finishing in the top 31.  Tim Burke finished 11th, Lowell Bailey 21st and Jay Hakkinen 31st.

 

Currier's 6th place came in just his second IBU World Cup start of the season and only his 4th start in Europe this year.  Through the fall, Currier had continued to struggle on the range and was left off the original team to Europe.  With a sharp turn around in his shooting in December, Currier earned his way back to Europe and competed last weekend in Forni Avolti, Italy on the IBU Cup, a level below the World Cup circuit.  With his 7th place finish in the 20km Individual competition there, Currier got the nod to start this weekend's IBU World Cup. Today, he showed that he can be among the best on the World Cup. 

Caribou, Maine Russell Currier posted 7th and 27th place finishes this weekend at the IBU Cup in Forni Avoltri, Italy to earn a spot on the US World Cup team. Currier will join fellow MWSC alumni Lowell Bailey, Tim Burke as well as Jay Hakinnen and Leif Nordgren in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic. 

Tracy Colliander will join fellow MWSC alumni Annelies Cook, as well as Sara Studebacker and Susan Dunklee on the Womens team.

To follow this weeks World Cup visit services.biathlonresults.com/Schedule.aspx 

 Rumford, Maine  MWSC's Welly Ramsey put in an outstanding effort today to place 14th in the rugged 30K Classic race at US Championships. The course took the large field up and over iconic "High School Hill", known as one of the toughtest climbs in New England, 9 times. For full results click here: www.chisholmskiclub.org/chisholm_results/2011-12/11-12_results_frameset.htm 

Danni Anderson enjoying a trip up Baldpate Mountain outside of Andover, ME.

Rumford, ME--When Mother Nature throws a bucket of water in your face, go hiking.  At least that's what the MWSC cross-country squad chose to do.  Unseasonably warm temperatures and heavy rain forced organizers of this year's Cross-Country Skiing Nationals to postpone the opening day of competition.  With a full day's delay, the MWSC athletes took advantage of a break in the rain to explore the nearby Appalachian Trail.  Good spirits were the result.

Racing should open tomorrow morning with the 1.4km and 1.6km freestyle sprints.  Results will be available at http://www.uscrosscountryskichampionships2012.org/

he Maine Winter Sports Center has a number of athlete competing this week so please follow their results at www.uscrosscountryskichampionships2012.org/results.html 

  Rumford, Maine Heavy overnight rains and warm temperatures have forced the postponement of today's Sprint competitions. Temperatures are expected to drop quickly tonight, allowing the organizers to make more snow and get the courses in shape again. There will be a jury meeting this morning at which plans for moving forward will be determined. Stay tuned and for more information visit http://tinyurl.com/86avobu

Rumford, ME - Tomorrow marks the opening of the U.S. National Cross-Country Skiing Championships at Black Mountain of Maine, and the Maine Winter Sports Center athletes are raring to go.  The championships open with the freestyle sprints, 1.4km for the women and 1.6km for the men.  Hilary McNamee and Welly Ramsey are set to lead the Maine Winter Sports Center.  Other Maine athletes to watch include: Mike Lessard (MWSC), Nick Michaud (Bates), Derek Rowe (MWSC) and Lauren Jacobs (MWSC).

  Rumford, Maine The 2012 US Cross Country Ski Championships get underway tomorrow at Black Mountain in Rumford with the Sprint Race. In spite of the warmest fall on record and a number of warm stretches as the winter officially got underway, Black Mountain is well prepared for the Championships. The sprint races start off the week and both the Men's 1.4K and the Women's 1.2K courses are completely covered are ready for action. The addition of the 3.5K distance course, including the iconic "High School Hill" will be opened in advance of Wednesday's races.

Snow making machines at Black Mountain of Maine

Eight new high powered guns along with four generators give themountain plenty of new snowmaking capacity

Rumford, Maine -  Black Mountain of Maine had very ambitious plans for the start of this winter season. Those plans included hosting a snowmobile hill climb, opening their alpine trails and hosting the US Cross Country Ski Championships. Given the record-breaking warmth of the late fall, and temperatures too warm to make snow, it would have been easy to expect a lot of cancellations.

Not this year – and not at Black Mountain.

This year Black Mountain of Maine has 8 new, high capacity fan guns from TechnoAlpin, SMI, Lanko and Johnson Control to go along with the existing fleet of 6 fan guns. To ensure that they had the power to keep theguns running Black Mountain also has a number of portable generators on loan from Pineland Farms, Milton-Cat, PC Construction and Cianbro.

“The extraordinarily warm weather has created challenges for every New England business that depends on snow,” said Andy Shepard, President of the Maine Winter Sports Center, which owns Black Mountain. “But the US Cross Country Championships is a an important opportunity for the town of Rumford, the Chisholm Ski Club, Black Mountain and the whole State of Maine to put its best foot forward. Not being ready was not an option. These companies recognized the importance of this event to the State, understood there was a role for them to play and have stepped up in inspiring ways.”

Temperatures turned cold on Friday night and stayed cold through the weekend, allowing the mountain to make a lot of snow. Temperatures are expected to rise tomorrow afternoon throughmid-day Friday, but then drop again into good snowmaking weather through the weekend. The original plan was to open the alpine hill December 26th and have the cross-country trails ready by December 28th and we are on schedule to hit those dates.

Black Mountain and the Chisholm Ski Club are hosting the US Cross Country Championships for the second consecutive year and faced extreme weather challenges last year as well. “We had snow early last year, lost it a few weeks before the races and never really got good snowmaking temperatures leading up to the event,” said Carlie Casey, Chief of Competition for the Championships. “This year we wanted to make sure that through technology and planning, we were giving ourselves every possible chance to put on good races. Thanks to some really great volunteers and some very generous corporate sponsors, we have that this year.”

For more information on Black Mountain visit: www.skiblackmountain.org.

For more information on the US Championships visit: www.uscrosscountryskichampionships2012.org/ 

Conditions are looking great!

Two participants teach skate technique to the group.

PRESQUE ISLE – The fresh snow came just in time for ski leaders from northern Maine to descend on the Nordic Heritage Center in Presque Isle for a Ski Leader Workshop held on Saturday December 10, 2011. The workshop was organized and run by both community and competitive coaches from the Maine Winter Sports Center. More than 15 ski leaders, teachers, and coaches, some from as far away as Winterport and Cobscook Bay State Park, attended the workshop. 

Participants spent the morning with Healthy Hometowns coaches Mike Smith and Lauren Jacobs discussing different teaching methodologies and how they apply to physical activity.  Everyone then practiced out some new ideas by teaching basic ski skills to the group. In the afternoon, the middle school and high school coaches in the group joined MWSC staff Will Sweetser and Amber Dodge for a clinic focused on competitive programs. Will and Amber led participants through discussions on training priorities as well as on-snow skate technique work. Meanwhile, the rest of the participants stayed with Mike and Lauren to experience skill learning through games. They wrapped up the day with a discussion on equipment and program planning. 

This was the final leader workshop in a series of four put on by Healthy Hometowns staff this fall. Many thanks to Tom Shay for the wonderful photos of this great day.

A game of follow the leader.

 Ostersund, Sweden the 2011 Biathlon World Cup season got off to an exciting start with MWSC alumni Lowell Bailey posted his second top 10 finish in as many races. Bailey posted a 9th in the 20km Indivisual on Wednesday and improved on that with a 5th place finish in the 10km Sprint this afternoon in Ostersund, Sweden.  Fellow MWSC alumni, Tim Burke made it an historic day for the US Men with a 12th place finish. After two races, the Lowell Bailey sits in 4th place in the World Cup overall standings and the US team is in 7th, ahead of perennial powerhouse Russia.

For the full story and to follow the rest of the season go to  www.biathlonworld.com

Saturday, December 10^th the Maine Winter Sports Center’s Community and Competitive Divisions will be hosting a day of workshops for community ski leaders and coaches. 

Healthy Hometowns Ski Leaders Workshop:

December 10th

10:00 am to 3:00 pm

Nordic Heritage Center, Presque Isle

This workshop is open to all community ski leaders working with all age groups and abilities. The workshop will include information and hands-on experience with basic progressions, teaching methodology, drills, activities, games, use of terrain, and planning your program. 

Questions or sign-ups can be directed to lauren@mainewsc.org. 

Coaches Education Workshop:

December 10th

12:00-3:00 PM

Nordic Heritage Center, Presque Isle

This workshop is open to anyone involved with middle school and high school level coaching.  We will move beyond the basics, introducing drills and explanations on how to improve both classic and skate technique. This clinic will cover the same material as the USSA Level 100 hands-on technique clinic requirement for coaches’ certification. 

Questions and sign-ups can be directed to amber@mainewsc.org 

The fee for the entire day (community and/or competitive workshops) is $10. If you have already paid the fee for our first two Healthy Hometowns leader workshops this fall, there will be no fee for this day. 

These workshops will run regardless of weather. Any updates or changes will be sent out via email to registered participants. 

West Yellowstone, MT--The U.S. nordic ski racing season opened this weekend with four races on the border of Yellowstone National Park.  After three days of racing, skiers had contested two sprints and two distance races.  When the snowflakes settled, Mike Sinnott (Sun Valley) and Jesse Diggins (CXC/US Ski Team) sat atop the SuperTour standings. Seven different racers from Maine Winter Sports Center raced to top 30 finishes, and Welly Ramsey sits in 20th place on the SuperTour points list.

In the opening salvo, skiers tested themselves over a brutal 1.5km point to point sprint course, finishing with a climb that most resembled an alpine slope. Welly Ramsey led the Maine Winter Sports Center team with two top 15 finishes: 12th in the classic sprint and 14th in the skate sprint.  MWSC biathlete BethAnn Chamberlain raced to 15th in the skate sprint, leaving her in 26th on the SuperTour list. Hilary McNamee, Fred Bailey, Austin Ross and Mike Lessard all earned top 30 finishes in the sprint racing. 

Following Thanksgiving, racers contested distance races in both skate and classic.  In the men's skate race, Fred Bailey and Welly Ramsey charged off to an excellent early start. Both sat in the top 15 through the opening 10km of the race.  Unfortunately, both faded after an intense snow squall dumped an inch of fresh white over the course.  Mike Lessard, however, picked up the charge and skated to the finish in 30th place to lead the MWSC men.  In the women's race, biathlete Katrina Howe was the only starter for MWSC, and she notched a solid 24th place effort.

In Saturday's classic races, MWSC was out in full force, with only Welly Ramsey sitting on the sidelines.  Fred Bailey led the men with another good effort, striding to 27th place. Former MWSC racer and coach David Chamberlain slipped by Bailey by 5 seconds for 23rd place.

Next up for the MWSC XC squad is the Bozeman, MT SuperTour December 3 and 4.    

Development Coach Amber Dodge leads skiers in classic ski drill.

MARS HILL – As the late November sunshine reflected off Bigrock in Mars Hill this past weekend, the ski area’s downhill trails remained brown and bare.  At the base of the mountain, however, a large field of white set the stage for skiers of all ages to get their first taste of cross-country skiing for the season.  For the second year in a row the Maine Winter Sports Center, in conjunction with Bigrock put together three days of cross-country ski action for enthusiasts across the region.  The weekend, which drew skiers from around the state, served as the kick off for yet another ski season in Aroostook County. 

Over the holiday weekend coaches of Maine Winter Sports Center’s Competitive Teams hosted training camps for skiers in middle school and high school.  Through a mix of on-snow drills, games, and classroom sessions aspiring athletes were given tools to get an edge on their season.  Young racers were not the only ones flying around the one-kilometer groomed trail this weekend.  Participants in the Arooskis Adult Nordic Program also took advantage of the early snow to get a jump on the season.   The Arooskis program, offered every week from mid-November to mid-March, is open to any adult interested in improving their time on cross-country skis.  For many area residents that time began this weekend at Bigrock. 

With the holidays here, the Maine Winter Sports Center has been preparing for a busy winter.  Over the past month MWSC’s Community Development and Competitive Coaches have been travelling the County to work with athletes and community members on gearing up for time on snow.  Through MWSC’s Healthy Hometowns Program workshops have been offered for community members responsible for leading ski and biathlon programs in their area.  Sessions have focused on program design and planning, childhood growth and development, games, activities and leadership.  A hands-on session was held at the 10^th Mtn Center in Fort Kent prior to Thanksgiving to introduce community members to biathlon range safety and operation.  On December 10^th there will be an on-snow workshop at the Nordic Heritage Center in Presque Isle.  This session will focus on giving ski leaders the tools to get people in their community started on nordic skis. 

Although temperatures remain mild, anticipation of a winter full of skiing is in the air.  For more information about how you can get involved visit www.mainewsc.org and visit the MWSC page on Facebook.

Skiers make the most out of a sunny day of skiing.

This season’s 10^th Mountain Division Junior Championships Set for Rumford and Fort Kent

Caribou, Maine – The Maine Winter Sports Center is pleased to host the 10th Mountain Division Junior Nordic and Junior Biathlon Championships in 2012.  These events serve as Maine's state-wide junior championships and offer Maine's best young cross-country skiers and biathletes the opportunity to show their skills at the highest level of junior racing.  For the 2012 season, the 10th Mountain Division Championships have been slated for Rumford and Fort Kent, Maine.                         

Big Rock is blowing snow for Thanksgiving Camp, skiing opens November 25th, at 8AM.

Weather Update

The County weather forcast is looking favorable.  We plan to open & ski on 11/25/11

Who is it for?  Maine Team J2, Maine EHS skiers, and Maine JO skiers

Sign up by November 18th.

See PDF below for complete information.

Hey adults - the Arooskis Adult Nordic Program kicks off for the 2011-12 season this week at 10th Mtn in Fort Kent and Nordic Heritage in Presque Isle. Don't spend your winters indoors, get out and get moving with Arooskis this coming season. Check out the link for more info:http://mainewsc.org/arooskis-adult-nordic-program.html. And join the Arooskis group on Facebook. 

The Yarmouth Ski Club is hosting its 22^nd annual ski sale on Saturday, November 19^th, from 9am till noon.  This is a great chance to sell your out-grown gear, or to pick up some great deals on quality ski equipment. 

Caribou, ME—Maine Winter Sports Center is pleased to announce the hiring of Amber Dodge as Development Coach. Dodge will take the reins of the highly successful MWSC Development Team from departing coach David Chamberlain.

Amber was born in Worthington, Massachusetts and started skiing in her backyard with her family.  She joined the local Bill Koch Youth Ski League at the age of 4 and grew up running, hiking, skiing and canoeing.  Her most influential youth coach, Ed Hamel, taught Amber about ski racing and technique and about how to have a lot of fun outside.

Steal the Fish tournament final round.

HAMPDEN - The Healthy Hometowns Leader Workshop calendar kicked off last week with one session at the University of Maine Orono and another in Hampden. Community leaders from all over the Bangor area, and from as far away as Danforth, joined Healthy Hometowns for workshops focusing on a variety of topics applicable to outdoor activities. Participants learned about childhood growth and development, programming development, leadership skills, and games. The workshops were a great opportunity for participants to ask questions and learn about ways to strengthen the outdoor community in their area.

While most of the Maine Winter Sports Center crew stayed on North Haven after the Lobster Roll, Grace and Lauren returned to the mainland for more clinics. Reeds Brook Middle School in Hampden was the location of both a morning rollerski clinic run with the help of the Penobscot Valley Ski Club (PVSC) and an afternoon NENSA Gaining the Edge coaching clinic, run by University of Maine Presque Isle coach Paul Stone.

Participants in the rollerski clinic started off the morning by learning about rollerski safety and basic movement. Confidence and comfort were quickly gained as everyone cycled through stations focusing on stopping safely, double poling, and no-pole skiing. A mid-morning break got muscles working during an intense Steal the Fish tournament and "make an animal" game. The clinic concluded with more rollerskiing, this time negotiating an obstacle course that incorporated all of the new-found skills. 

The afternoon NENSA Gaining the Edge clinic, attended by a number of coaches from all over Maine, covered both coaching skills and strength training. Classroom time was followed by an outdoor session where Paul showed participants many different strength exercises and sample workouts.

Healthy Hometowns Leader Workshops continue in Aroostook County in the coming weeks. In addition to classroom sessions being held in two locations, Heatlhy Hometowns staff will also be conducting both biathlon-specific and ski-specific clinics. More details can be found at our website: www.mainewsc.org/healthy-hometowns.

Rollerski clinic participants at Reeds Brook Middle School in Hampden.

Rollerski clinic participants at Reeds Brook Middle School in Hampden.

Healthy Hometowns staff at the successful completion of a Maine National Guard orienteering course.

The group enjoys a sunrise on North Haven.

NORTH HAVEN – Crisp autumn air and brilliant blue skies greeted members of the adult nordic program known as Arooskis this past weekend along the coast of Maine.  While regular weekly sessions don’t start for another few weeks in Aroostook County, those anxious to start training as a group took advantage of perfect fall weather to get out and get active. 

The weekend started with a trip to North Haven where Arooskis were able to make use of the island’s quiet roads and good pavement for a distance roller ski session, while at the same time watching the annual Lobster Roll – Maine’s collegiate roller ski championship.   In the afternoon adult participants were paired up with MWSC athletes and coaches for one-on-one technique sessions. 

The goal of the Arooskis program is to improve participants’ enjoyment of nordic skiing while at the same time share a holistic approach to a healthy, active outdoor lifestyle.  With this in mind the second day of the fall camp was spent sea kayaking along the coast from Rockport Harbor to Camden Harbor, with a short stop on Curtis Island to explore the local lighthouse. 

Regular Arooski sessions begin on November 15^th at the 10^th Mtn Center in Fort Kent, and the Nordic Heritage Center in Presque Isle.  The program, offered through the Maine Winter Sports Center’s Healthy Hometowns program, runs regularly through March, with follow up sessions occurring throughout the spring, summer and fall.  For more information visit http://mainewsc.org/arooskis-adult-nordic-program.html or contact Mike Smith at mikes@mainewsc.org.

Paddling through Rockport Harbor.

Sean, Catherine and Brent on top of Mt. Battie.

Better than training...eating!!

Halloween masquerade dinner, dance, and silent acution October 29, 2011 at the Presque Isle Inn and Convention Center Grand Ballroom.  Dinner and auction begin at 6:00pm followed by dance at 8:00pm. See poster for more details.

This past weekend Maine Team Camp athletes from around the state of Maine joined the junior team and post graduates from Maine Winter Sports Center for a weekend camp at Sugarloaf.

This training camp consisted of a Canadian strength test, two running tests, a skate technique session, and concluded with a ski walk through the rain and fog to the top of Sugarloaf.

Great turn out for an open range day this last weekend in Presque Isle with the Maine Winter Sports Center Development Team and others. People were shooting air rifles and .22 biathlon rifles, playing games and having fun. Look for the next Open Range day if you are interested in trying Biathlon and the MWSC Development Team!

Katrina Howe visits Madawaska Elementary School

Katrina Howe visits Madawaska Elementary School where she met with a 4th grade class. She spoke about her life as a skier/biathlete and how it got her from central NH, to going to college in Northern VT, to training at an Olympic Training Center, and finally to living/training in Northern ME with MWSC. She plans to keep in touch with the students throughout this season. When in Maine she will visit them at least twice a month and perhaps ski with them if time permits. When on the road she plans to write letters and emails back and forth with the students.  The children also learned how to access her blog so they can follow her wherever she goes.

As the summer moves on, the Adopt a Tree Program is taking on steam. Jim and I visited the nursery to get more details and see the trees first hand. We are making plans for planting in early October. 

Recognition plaque has been picked out and will prominently display your contribution in the base lodge.

Raffle to benefit US Biathlon Foundation Ends August 19th

 Portland, Maine (August 3, 2011) – The United States Biathon Foundation today announced its new partnership with the Portland Sea Dogs. Hockey legend Ray Bourque, who serves as a trustee of the United States Biathlon Foundation, also announced the “Ultimate Portland Seadogs Prize Package” charity raffle to benefit the US Biathlon Foundation. One lucky winner will receive an incredible Portland Sea Dogs prize package.

For more information contact Andy Shepard

mwsc@mac.com

207-232-3304

 Rumford, Maine  Historic Black Mountain of Maine is excited to announce the expansion of it's Race Development Program for the 2011/2012 season. The Chisholm Ski Club Alpine Race Program will be launched this season with the well-respected team of Mark Thibodeau, Tim LaVallee and Olympian Julie Parisien. This coaching staff has a long track record of helping alpine skiers prepare for success on and off the slopes. 

Lauren Jacobs

Caribou, ME--Maine Winter Sports Center is proud to announce the hire of two new coaches to our staff. Lauren Jacobs, a recent graduate of Bates College, joins us as a coach in the Healthy Hometown programs. She will be responsible for community development projects throughout Northern Maine. Sarah Kamilewicz will add depth to our competitive programs as a Development Coach. She will work specifically with junior racers from across Maine.

Sarah Kamilewicz